[center][h3][color=gray]The Mausoleum[/color][/h3][/center]

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/bVkBGcJ.gif[/img][[img]http://i.imgur.com/gUUNFWH.gif[/img][/center]

Claude, even though he seemed hurt and that Azi rushed to help him, stood back up and pushed the gentle blue haired man aside. 

[color=brown][b]"What the hell, brat?!"[/b][/color] The man stood up as if nothing had happened in the first place. 

Though, of course, it was obvious that he was lightly hurt after he passed out for a few seconds. 

Illian turned to him with a raised eyebrow. Any normal man would've been dead from the sheer force of beign thrown against a rock structure like that, and a normal mercenary would've passed out for several hours after that. Yet, this man was able to wake up just after a few seconds. 

It seems that calling someone rockhead wouldn't be more accurate ever again. 

[color=bc8dbf][b]"Y-You are more resiliant than I thought."[/b][/color] Illian said with a slight smile, showing some of her fake pointy teeth. [color=bc8dbf][b]"I-I need your name too, please."[/b][/color]

Claude arched an eyebrow as well. Seeing the sharp and pointy teeth, though they were obviously fake, made him feel slightly at home. It ran in the family to have pointy teeth like his. 

Claude relaxed his stance and let out a sigh. 

[color=brown][b]"Claude. Claude Aster. Merc. Or well, ex-merc now."[/b][/color] He noticed that everyone else was definitely judging him by his recent actions, but he merely growled at the others like some kind of wild animal. 

[color=bc8dbf][b]"G-Great. We have Mikhail, Aika, Azi, Lord Maximillian, Victor and Claude. I will make sure to remember those names."[/b][/color] The girl started sneering. 

Her smile was sinister and Aika would probably feel the sudden surge of magical energy coming from her, and even those without magical talent would be able to feel it. 

It was terrifying. It was scary. It was a warning of their inevitable death. 

[color=bc8dbf][b]"If you can survive this, that is. Rise...!"[/b][/color] She lifted both hands. 

The tombs started moving, and suddenly, their lids started falling down and crashed against the ground. There were only pieces left of them, and when that happened, a purple arm, or a set of arms, appeared from the tombs. 

They started impulsing themselves outside the tombs and then fell to the ground with a loud thud. At first, they seemed like simple corpses that suddenly started moving. 

An act of necromancy, to move the corpses in order to frighten the recruits. So Claude thought at first. 

Then, the corpses slowly started standing up, before standing straight before the group of young recruits.

[color=bc8dbf][b]"These are Risen. Extremely dangerous and extremely volatile."[/b][/color] Illian explained. [color=bc8dbf][b]"We tend not to keep corpses here in the mausoleum lately so that a dark mage like myself can't use them against us. The Risen played a big part of the previous king's assassination, after all. I procured these for my test, however."[/b][/color] 

The girl said, before throwing some weapons at the feet of the Risen, who slowly bent down to pick them up. 

There were seven of them in total, and all of them looked human enough. There were two myrmidons, two mercenaries, a bowman and an axe fighter as the vanguard and small fries, while a Sorcerer stood at the back of them all, wielding a tome that Illian lent it.

[color=bd8dbf][b]"I have no control over these Risen, I simply brought them back to life and because of that they will not attack me. They do not think, they only destroy."[/b][/color] Illian continue, before lifting three fingers. [color=bc8dbf][b]"You have three options at this time. One. Slay them all. Two. Slay me and they will go back to sleep. Three. Escape and I will clean them up. With options one and two you approve. Option three will be considered as forfeiting the exam."[/b][/color] 

With that done, the Risen seemed to finally wake up from their slumber and turned their heads to the group of knights. 

[color=bc8dbf][b]"Your ability, wit and courage will all be proved in here. Do not hesitate to do this. They were all scoundrels that died during the war. They deserve no pity, as they have all killed, deceived, stolen and this one over here,"[/b][/color] Illian pointed at the Sorcerer beside her, [color=bc8dbf][b]"was the one that killed our previous king with corpses reanimated like these. With that said and done,"[/b][/color]

The first Risen, the myrmidon, threw itself against Claude with its blade up. 

Illian raises her hand, [color=bc8dbf][b]"The exam has now started! Fight for your lives, or die!"[/b][/color] and then brings it back down as she said that. 

Claude reached for his sword and brought it out just as the attack was about to land. 

[color=brown][b]"What the hell!?"[/b][/color] Claude kicked the Risen's stomach, but since it felt no pain at all, his tactic failed. [color=brown][b]"These guys don't feel pain?! Get careful, everyone!"[/b][/color] 

Claude shouted. 

The other Risen started attacking as well, while the bowman and sorcerer stood at the back while shooting arrows and slinging curses. The physical fighters threw themselves at the other knights. 

Illian smiled all the while while she remained behind the sorcerer and bowman. 

Her plan was not to attack them at all, even if they entered her range, but would certainly defend herself if they came at her, but one thing was for sure.

No one in the room could handle her. The sorcerer she had lifted was not nearly as powerful as herself, and she would show no mercy even if Maximillian came charging against her. 

The physical fighters would also go after everyone trying to fell the bowman or sorcerer.